For Preservation the newsletter of
Volume 20, No. 3
www.ghpa.org
n
greater houston preservation alliance
Houston’s local partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
Summer 2010
City program reuses building materials
jim parsons
A City of Houston Building Materials Reuse Warehouse employee prepares lumber for storage. The warehouse accepts and stores donated building supplies for use by non-profit organizations.
Every year, more than a third of the waste sent to Houston landfills comes from construction and demolition projects. Many of those building materials could be recycled and reused. Now GHPA members can help the environment and local taxpayers through a new partnership with the City of Houston Building Materials Reuse Warehouse. The Reuse Warehouse accepts and stores donated building supplies for use by not-for-profit organizations. GHPA’s partnership with the Reuse Warehouse gives GHPA members access to the recycled building supplies. Materials can only be distributed to partnering 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organizations or their members. The warehouse’s inventory is donated by contractors, supply companies and individuals. In its first year of operation, which ended in April, the Reuse Warehouse took in 20 tons of building materials and recycled 73
percent of those materials to new users. The program’s biggest single success so far has been finding a new user for 3 tons of birch shelving removed when the Oak Forest branch library was remodeled. “The city doesn’t own landfills,” manager Keith Koski said. “We pay for everything that gets dumped. Every pound of material diverted from the landfill saves tax dollars.” With constant turnover, the products available can change from one day to the next. On a recent visit, the warehouse held a variety of windows and shutters, interior doors, acoustical ceiling tiles, bricks, flooring and various types of hardware. The Reuse Warehouse is located at 9003 North Main Street near Crosstimbers. For hours of operation, visit www.houstontx.gov/solidwaste/ reuse.html. For additional information, call (281) 814-3324 or e-mail reuse.warehouse@cityofhouston.net.
Rice, GHPA sponsor local history course of several close-in residential areas. Among the historic neighborhoods featured in the program are Broadacres, Shadow Lawn, Idylwood, Garden Oaks and Magnolia Park. GHPA’s Historic Neighborhood Resources Director Courtney Tardy will close the series with a discussion of preservation in Houston. The course will be held on the Rice University campus on eight Monday evenings, September 13 through November 1, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. GHPA members may register for the discounted price of $160 for the course. Partici-
tions. Funds from the Susan Vaughan Foundation will cover GHPA’s expenses associated with the project, which is set to begin in the fall. “One of our big goals is to preserve what’s left of Houston’s historic architecture,” said Susan Garwood, president of the Susan Vaughan Foundation. “I’m thrilled that Preservation River Oaks can tap into GHPA’s wonderful resources. To me, it’s a win-win for both organizations, and I’m hopeful that this will mean more designations of significant River Oaks homes.”
A day of festivities will mark the re-opening of Market Square Park on Saturday, August 28. The calendar of events for the opening is still being developed, but GHPA’s Walking Tours Program will be taking part by offering guided architecture tours of the neighborhood around Market Square. The block bounded by Milam, Preston, Travis and Congress streets was the site of the city hall and market house for the first century of Houston’s existence. The refurbished park will include a central lawn indicating the former location of Houston City Hall as well as a dog run, performance area, public art installations and Niko Niko’s sidewalk café. On the north side of the square, the Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas Foundation has funded the creation of Lauren’s Garden, a memorial to all those killed on September 11, 2001. The foundation and garden are named for Houstonian Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas, who was a passenger on United Flight 93. The park’s redesign is a
Please see River Oaks, Page 2
Please see Park, Page 2
jim parsons
GHPA members have an opportunity to learn about the history and development of some of Houston’s historic inner Loop neighborhoods and enjoy discounted registration for a fall semester course co-sponsored by Rice University’s Glasscock School of Continuing Education and Greater Houston Preservation Alliance. The eight-week course is called “Historic Houston Neighborhoods.” Local historians, including Stephen Fox and Betty Trapp Chapman, will trace the birth, growth and, in some cases, rebirth
Market Square Park to re-open August 28
Westmoreland, among the earliest suburban neighborhoods on Houston’s southwest side, will be one of the areas featured in the historic neighborhoods course being co-sponsored by GHPA and Rice University this fall.
pants must register for the entire course; registration is not available for single sessions. The continuing education program’s complete sched-
ule and online registration information are available at www.gscs.rice.edu. The historic neighborhoods course number is 351m.
Program encourages landmark designations
jim parsons
The Dr. Culver M. Griswold House at 2121 Brentwood Drive (1929, Stayton Nunn) was designated a City of Houston landmark through the efforts of Preservation River Oaks.
The Susan Vaughan Foundation has pledged funding for a 12-month, cooperative effort between GHPA and Preservation River Oaks to encourage historic designations in the neighborhood. The joint program aims to have 20 historically significant River Oaks houses designated as City of Houston landmarks or protected landmarks within one year. Homeowners must request landmark designation. To assist them in the designation process, GHPA Historic Neighborhood Resources Director Courtney Tardy will work with three qualified GHPA volunteers to conduct the necessary research and produce the applica-